Technology Overview
Thermal expansion differences between the porous anode/active anode and dense electrolyte in an anode supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) result in a camber (out of plane deflection) after high-temperature heat treatments.
Researchers at PNNL have devised 2 methods to reduce the camber by applying a symmetrical thermal expansion design to the planar cell assembly. The first (13536-E) focuses on placing an equilibrating thermal expansion layer on the back of the anode in a designed pattern which enables functionality of the cell to be maintained. The other (13851-B) is a low-thermal expansion additive to the anode that counterbalances the camber during the cooling down phase of cell operation.
Either method or a combination of both inventions provides several benefits in the manufacturing of anode-supported SOFCs.
Advantages
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enables production of “thinner” (e.g. from 1.5 mm to 0.25 mm) cells with minimal camber, improving down-stream reliability and improved stack assembly.
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removes excess support material from the fabrication process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.